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Taifu
Population: 8,760 Government: Democratic Republic (Currently a Satrapy) Religions: The Celestial Bureaucracy, Nature Animism Imports: Mercenaries, Metals, Livestock, Horses Exports: Kuni Crystal, Rice, Bamboo Alignment: All Life and Society Most of the population of Taifu is comprised of peasant farmers. For it’s entire history, Taifu has had a self-sufficient agrarian culture. Rice is the major crop grown on the island, and is used in many different fashions- when cooked, it is eaten; when allowed to ferment, it is drunken; when turned into a paste, it is used like glue. Until recently, no settlement on the island-nation has ever grown very large. Dojeng, with recent events, is the exception to the rule, since it is now home to hundreds of foreign mercenaries, as well as the fledgling government run by Furo the shugenja. Most other settlements around the island are small villages or towns, which revolve around farming and/or fishing. Most villages or towns contain only one or two different families. Again, Dojeng is the exception to the rule, as it has representatives from nearly every single family on the island. The life of the average peasant is filled with much toil, a lot of hard work, and little chance to move up the social ladder. Most people are born peasants, grow up peasants, and die peasants. The only other real alternative there was, until recently, was to join the Imperial Army of the Shou Empire. Now, because of the rebellion, many new opportunities have come up. A fledgling middle-class has begun to emerge. The diet of the average peasant is comprised of a lot of rice. Because rice is the most abundant resource, the natives have learned to make the most of it. Rice is a meal in and of itself, is often served in conjunction with some other dish, and is served in different forms, such as rice wine (or sake), or rice pudding. Those who are wealthier can afford more “exotic” foods, such as imported beef, lamb, mutton, and other meats. Major Organizations The Daluhn Major Geographical Features Taifu is an island, so it has a natural defense against invaders. Until the last century or so, the Sea of Matoshi was sufficient to buffer Taifu, and the rest of the Spice Isles, from the Shou Empire. However, since the Shou “discovered” the Spice Isles, the ocean has not done much to help Taifu- soldiers and other simply use sailing vessels to reach the island. Taifu has three major regions. The central region, which is home to the majority of the villages and towns that dot the island, is temperate, with grassy plains, rolling hills, and swampy marshes. This region gets a lot of rain, and this weather is conducive to growing rice, with is the major crop of the island. Cinnamon is another crop that benefits from the weather. The southeast region of Taifu is a bamboo jungle. Like the rest of the island-nation, the southeast is subject to rains. The southeast bamboo jungles are more susceptible to the rains than the rest of the islands. Very few actually inhabit the southeastern jungles. The Daluhn, an anti-Shou guerilla group, uses the southeast bamboo jungles as their base of operations. The northwest region of Taifu is comprised of steep hills, and small mountains. The northwest is home to a few towns and villages. There are many rice steppes in the northwest, even more so than in the central or southeast regions. The northwestern mountains and hills are also the only source of Kuni crystals. Though the natives let the crystal lay where it was, for the most part, the Imperialistic Shou saw the many uses of the crystal and began mining it. Now that they are fighting, the mines claimed by the Shou are fiercely guarded, while the mines claimed by the natives are in operation as well, since they now see the value that others place in the crystal. Important Sites Dojeng Suum Do-Shi Kuni Crystal Mines Regional History For most of its history, Taifu was nothing but a small island, surrounded by many other smaller islands, with an indigenous population of peasant rice farmers. Had the Shou Empire not involved itself, it is likely that Taifu would still be a small island, surrounded by many other smaller islands, with an indigenous population of peasant rice farmers. Nearly a century ago, a Shou sailor named Matoshi sailed east, to find evidence that new lands existed to the east. Shortly after leaving port, he came upon the Spice Isles. Captain Matoshi actually landed on Taifu for a brief time. In doing this, he became the first Shou to set foot on the island. When he returned, his notes were given to the Shou, and those close to the emperor. Matoshi shortly died of mysterious causes, but the Shou had enough information about the Spice Isles, and the other lands that existed east of the islands. The Shou was more interested in the nearby Spice Isles, as Matoshi called them, rather than the far-away ‘Eastern Lands’. From the description, the islands were brimming with valuable spices, such as cinnamon, saffron, among others. Shortly, an Imperial Exploratory Corps was created to find these islands. Within a few months, the Imperial Exploratory Corps began landing on the various islands that made up the Spice Isles. Shou soldiers began arriving after them, enforcing the Shou’s decree that the Spice Isles were part of the Shou Empire, and therefore subject to the laws and will of the Shou. Taifu was of particular interest to the imperialistic Shou. Not only was it the largest of the Spice Isles, but it was also the only island to have deposits of Kuni crystal. Kuni crystal is a magical gemstone that had magical effects against Oni, and the malevolent presence of Daburo and the ‘Taint’. Kuni crystal could also be worked into weapons, much to the satisfaction of the Shou. Because of this, the largest garrison of Shou soldiers was built on Taifu, and the most soldiers were afforded to this island. With a militaristic presence, the Shou were able to more forcefully control the islands. At first, the Shou bureaucrats paid the natives- who were not seen as actual Shou, though they were nearly similar biologically- to harvest the different spices, and work the lands. The many who joined the Shou and became soldiers were also given ranks, commissions, and were treated as if they were ordinary soldiers. Things began changing, and rather quickly. The natives were soon forced into an indentured servitude. Those who resisted were executed on the spot, for resisting the word of the Shou. The natives were no longer allowed to become normal soldiers in the Imperial Army of the Shou, though they were still allowed to join the army, in a special division filled only with island natives and led by a Shou officer. All in all, things had suddenly gone bad for the islanders, who were now effectively slaves of the occupiers. The Shou began forcing their culture upon the people of the Spice Isles, and the people of Taifu. For instance, the Shou rewarded the islanders who could afford to dress in the styles that the Shou brought with them. The Shou brought large quantities of tea with them, and the habit of drinking tea was quickly picked up by the natives wanting to make a good impression. Those who could began learning hoe to read and write in the Shou language. A small minority of people resisted the Shou imperialism. They not only resented the Shou for barging in and taking their island, but also for slowly taking their own culture away from them. This small group began meeting in a small village on the north eastern coast of the island, known as Tienpo. The main focus of this group was to rebel against the Shou, and retain their own culture. The small group shortly splintered, and went to different cities, spreading their ideas. The Shou quickly learned of this, and decided to send a message to anyone who might be foolish enough to entertain such thoughts as resisting the Imperial Army of the Shou Empire. Known to the Shou as a victory, and to the natives of the Spice Isles as the Atrocity of Tienpo, Shou soldiers quickly decimated the small village, cutting every last resident down- every man, woman, child and baby. They then burned the village to the ground, and left the ruins for anyone who dared opposed the Shou to see. Even after the Atrocity of Tienpo, the Shou began cracking down on anti-Shou sentiment. Those who were suspected of having anti-Shou feelings were taken into questioning at the nearest garrison, where they were forced to pledge allegiance to the Shou Empire, and were often beaten even if they did so. Many simply disappeared altogether. In order to distance themselves from the anti-Shou group and village, the natives of Taifu began referring to the small group as the Daluhn which meant ‘The Others’ in the language of the natives. Those who had known connections to Daluhn were handed over to the local garrison by the locals, in order to avoid punishment. The members of the Daluhn shortly fled to the dense jungles in southwest Taifu, to further avoid persecution, and to be able to more openly oppose the Shou presence in Taifu without endangering innocent locals. Eventually, the natives of Taifu gained an unlikely ally- Furo, a Shugenja, and an advisor to the Shou himself. When Furo learned of the way the natives of the Spice Islands were being exploited, he tried to change the way the Empire dealt with the islands. But, he was unable to do anything save use up a few favors, and owe favors to others. Realizing that there was nothing else he could do, Furo made a formal address to the Shou and his court on the eve of the Shou’s birthday. He told the Shou of the horrible atrocities that were being committed in his name on the islands, committed by the very same money hungry bureaucrats that nearly ran the Shou’s court. He then formally declared the independence of the largest island of the Spice Islands, Taifu, and informed the Shou and the rest of the court that he would be leading the indigenous people against the Imperialist Shou. Most bureaucrats were shocked, and demanded that Furo be imprisoned and executed immediately. The Shou spared Furo, citing the enormous amount of respect he had for one of his former teachers. Furo also informed the Shou that he still would be an advisor, and advise the ruler at any time. He stated that his enemies were the bureaucrats who had wormed their way into stewardship of the Empire, and not the Shou himself. With some meddling from Furo, the locals of Dojeng openly took arms against the Shou garrison that was in their city. The Shou troops were caught off-guard, and were unable to mount a proper counterattack. The local troops who had been drafted into the Shou army also aided their brothers. Every last Shou soldier in the city was killed. Shortly after securing the city, Furo arrived on the island. Furo now resides in the capital city of Taifu, Dojeng. He rules the islanders, though he says he can not wait to give up his powers to the democratic government that would replace him, so that he can go back to the mainland, and continue advising the Shou, as he has done for decades. Since openly rebelling against the Shou, he has put out an open call for aid. Very few Shou have come to his aid, but many mercenaries and opportunists from the west have heeded his call. Dojeng, which was once nothing but a small garrison of Shou soldiers and a small farming village is now a bustling small city, filled with local freedom fighters, and foreign mercenaries.